The Word On The Street is seeking talented book lovers to support our annual festival and year-round programs.
Our 2025 Volunteer Applications are now closed. Please keep an eye out for our next year for our festival volunteer opportunities!
Can’t make it to the festival but still want to help out? This role has flexible hours and includes the distribution of promotional material before our event. Prior to distribution, you will be required to meet some of our team at the office space to pick up your materials. You will not be required to attend training for this.
** These crew shifts are flexible and happen from the end of August 2025 – September 2025
Access to transit or their own transportation is preferred.
You will be responsible for collecting and distributing all materials given to you.
Captains will be assigned to a crew for one entire festival day. You will also serve as a go-to person for the volunteers working on your crew. This could include delegating tasks, performing check-ins, answering questions, liaising with festival staff, and also leading by example with your positive attitude and festival expertise!
Resumes are required for this role as well as extra training sessions.
Volunteer Captains are required to volunteer for entire festival day (~8-hour shift)
Volunteer Captains will be provided with lunch and water for the day.
Exhibitor Relations Crew members are responsible for the 100+ vendors in our Exhibitor Marketplace! Tasks include helping exhibitors set up, hanging signs, monitoring traffic in and out of the site, and assisting with anything else vendors and sponsors might need.
There may be extended periods of standing/walking.
This position requires customer service.
Logistics Crew volunteers are responsible for helping set up and tear down The Word On The Street, working closely with the staff and vendors on-site at David Pecaut Square to make sure that everything is in place for the festival to run smoothly. Tasks include setting up programming areas, distributing materials to info booths, collecting signage, loading trucks, and much more! This critical role is active and will have you up on your feet and moving around.
This crew requires heavy lifting.
There will be pre-festival shifts (Friday, September 26th).
There may be extended periods of standing/walking.
This essential behind-the-scenes role at the festival works with the Director of Community Engagement to ensure that all volunteers are present, accounted for, and prepared. Tasks include greeting our 150+ volunteers, distributing supplies and resources, and supporting the Director of Community Engagement with various administrative tasks during festival weekend.
Tasks include answering questions from visitors, providing directions, and handing out festival materials. The Info Crew is the face of The Word On The Street to our 120,000+ visitors, helping to answer questions and provide excellent customer service. Be prepared to study up on our festival program to make sure you’re in the know about all things WOTS!
This crew may require heavy lifting.
This position requires customer service.
You will be working at one of our four stages to ensure that all of our programming runs smoothly! You’ll be responsible for greeting authors, ensuring timely hand-off between segments, and assisting the staff team at the venue. Other duties include: assisting with signing lines, audience counts, and housekeeping between events.
There may be extended periods of standing/walking.
Photography Crew members work with our Director of Communications to capture The Word On The Street’s festivities. Tasks include taking photos and videos of all aspects of the festival.
Social media/Portfolio links required with the application.
There will be extended periods of standing/walking.
Do you feel passionate about keeping The Word On The Street free and accessible for all? Are you always up for an adventure? Flex Crew members could be assigned to any of the various crews, asked to move through the festival encouraging donations or asked to help out with something completely different! They are expected to jump in wherever an extra pair of hands is needed, so no two shifts will look the same. Tasks include acting as a runner, offering support at programming venues, filling in at info tents, providing relief breaks for other volunteers, and more. This is a great position if it is your first year volunteering with The Word On The Street, and you are not sure which crew is best for you.
Experience handling money is preferred.
This crew may require heavy lifting.
There may be extended periods of standing/walking.
The Word On The Street values inclusion and diversity, and encourages those who are Indigenous, racialized, disabled, LGBTQ2S+, and others facing systemic oppression to apply.
